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A Troll in Central Park

I have no idea what I did to Gnorga, but I somehow ended up on her bad side. Not bad enough for me to be turned to stone, but for the last few months, I lived in a place of rock and steel where nothing grew. (And I wasn’t even in New York City.) Oh wait. I wasn’t feeling the wrath of the “Queen of Mean.” That was winter. But now spring is here and my little patch of green has returned. I could use some more flowers though. This wouldn’t be a problem if I had Stanley’s green thumb and I could grow some with a snap. Unfortunately, my thumb’s a little more like Gnorga’s black thumb. It won’t turn things to stone, but it’s still very dangerous. (I’m not too good with plants.) And even if I were to successfully grow a flower, it wouldn’t be a magical talking, dancing one. (Yes, I want magical dancing flowers. Did you see how happy they make Rosie?) Maybe I’m just not believing in myself enough. Or maybe I’m better off leaving the plant growing to the professionals and should just stick to eating them.

No, no, no, I don’t want to eat any of Stanley’s flowers! But I am talking about eating some greens. You see, things don’t go too well for Stanley at the beginning. He gets banished for growing flowers and is flung all the way to New York. Sure, he’s happy to see that there was some mistake and he isn’t in a land without grass, leaves, and flowers, but taking in this new world isn’t the easiest for the gentle, little troll. He gets chased by ferocious dogs and bumps into a really angry squirrel. Then he falls from a tree over a restaurant and lands straight in a large salad. He wanted green, he got it. But he finds himself in a tight spot when the salad gets dressed and served to a very hungry customer. And when the man digs in, it’s a pain in the butt for Stanley, literally. He screams and runs off and, after more trouble, finds himself a hole under a bridge. So his punishment is off to a rough start, but it’s not supposed to be nice. “It’s supposed to be punishing!”

Recipe makes one very large salad.

Ingredients

2 hearts romaine lettuce, rinsed and left in large pieces

1-2 large tomatoes, sliced into wedges

Black Olives

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Vinaigrette Or

Vinaigrette

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of Sugar (Optional)

Salt

White Pepper

Directions

Vinaigrette:

Pour white wine vinegar and olive oil in a mason jar. Tightly secure the lid and shake it vigorously until fully combined, about 10 seconds. Season to taste. (This can also be done in a blender.)

Putting It All Together:

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Add freshly ground pepper. Toss the salad and serve individual portions. Enjoy!

Variations:
Obviously, smaller sized pieces of lettuce are much easier to eat than the large leaves.
For a more stable and flavorful vinaigrette, add 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard. You can also opt for black pepper if that better suits your taste.

Okay, I really like salads, but I’ve never gotten as excited over one as that guy in the restaurant. (He’s licks his lips and everything.) I kind of feel bad that he doesn’t get to enjoy it. I feel even worse for Stanley for being a part of it. But without all of his scary encounters, he wouldn’t have ended up in the right place to meet Rosie and Gus. Sure, they lead to even more trouble, but when everything’s said and done, Stanley manages to create a world that’s bright and shiny and absolutely green.